Chereads / Shadows of Limbo / Chapter 2 - The Bargain

Chapter 2 - The Bargain

The weightless darkness clung to Sera like a second skin. The last thing she remembered was the flash of headlights, the screech of tires, and then… silence. Now, silence was all she had.

Her eyes fluttered open, finding her sprawled on cold, cracked stone. The air pressed down, thick and heavy. She pushed herself up, weak and disoriented, her breath ragged as it escaped her. The world around her was nothing but a wasteland—black mountains in the distance, a dull, grey sky swirling above her, and shadows flickering at the edge of her vision.

"This... can't be real," she muttered, her voice shaky. "I'm not... dead, am I?"

No answer. Just the eerie stillness.

A figure moved ahead, stepping out from the shadows as if the darkness itself obeyed him. Cloaked in black, tall and imposing, his face was hidden beneath a deep hood. His presence chilled the air even further, the kind of cold that seeped into her bones.

"You stand at the edge," the figure said, his voice low, almost a whisper carried by the wind. "Between life and death."

Sera's pulse quickened. She stumbled backward, her mind spinning with confusion. "Who—who are you?"

The man stepped closer, his face still veiled by the shadows. "I am Damian," he said simply, as if his name alone was explanation enough. "Lord of Limbo."

She blinked. Lord of Limbo? The name sent a shiver through her. This wasn't just a dream—this was something far worse.

"I don't belong here," she stammered. "I—I'm not supposed to be dead. I wasn't—"

"You are not dead," Damian interrupted, his tone sharp yet calm, the words cutting through her panic. "But you are not alive either."

Her eyes widened. "Then what am I?"

His gaze fixed on her, cold and piercing. "An anomaly. You are not meant to be here, yet here you stand."

Sera's heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't die—not like this. Not in some grey wasteland where nothing made sense. "I need to go back," she said, her voice trembling with urgency. "I—there's been a mistake."

"There are no mistakes here," Damian said quietly. He circled her, the shadows curling around his feet like smoke. "You're here for a reason. The only question is—what will you do now?"

Her throat tightened. "What do you mean? How do I—how do I leave this place?"

A faint smile flickered on his lips, though it held no warmth. "A choice must be made. A price must be paid."

Sera's blood ran cold. "What... price?"

Damian's smile widened just slightly, his voice a soft murmur. "A bargain. You work for me. Guide the souls that pass through Limbo. In return, I will give you a chance to return to the world of the living."

Her mind reeled. "Work for you? Doing what—collecting souls? Like some kind of grim reaper?"

He tilted his head, the shadows flickering as if in response to her words. "Not quite. But close enough."

Sera stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. This couldn't be happening. She was supposed to be driving home, not... not making deals with some otherworldly ruler of Limbo. "And if I say no?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Damian's expression darkened, the smile fading. "You fade," he said, his voice as cold as the air around them. "You will become nothing, lost in the shadows forever."

She swallowed hard. The thought of disappearing, of being erased from existence—it terrified her. She wasn't ready for oblivion. But could she trust him? Did she even have a choice?

"What's stopping you from just... lying?" she asked, her voice rising with a mix of fear and defiance. "How do I know this isn't some trick?"

His eyes flashed, but he remained calm. "Trust is not part of the bargain," he replied coolly. "Survival is."

Sera clenched her fists, her mind racing. She didn't trust him, not even for a second. But what other option did she have? Fade into nothing? Be swallowed by Limbo, with no chance of ever returning?

Her voice was quiet, but firm. "Fine. I'll do it."

Damian nodded, the faintest glint of approval in his eyes. "Then it is done."

The air shifted, the shadows swirling faster around them. Sera felt something settle over her, a weight she couldn't see but could feel—binding her to this place. To him.

"This is just the beginning," Damian said softly, his voice more a whisper now, almost... gentle. "You've chosen your path. But be warned—what lies ahead will not be easy."

Sera met his gaze, her pulse quickening. Whatever she had just agreed to, she knew there was no turning back. She was bound to Limbo—and to the mysterious man who ruled it.